Commununity council objects to removal of road improvement conditions

Kintore and District Community Council has submitted a representation to Aberdeenshire Council, calling on the council to reject moves to remove road improvement conditions for a proposed development at Thainstone. Thainstone is within the community council’s area.

Scotbeef, who are proposing to build a new abattoir on the hillside at Thainstone, have applied to Aberdeenshire Council to have conditions, requiring improvements to the Thainstone Roundabout, to be removed.

In its representation agains the removal of these conditions, the community council wrote:

“Kintore residents need to travel to Inverurie for basic shopping and a lot of leisure and business activities. The bus service is infrequent, about one per hour at present, so most people have to travel by car. The proposed rail connection might reduce the demand on the road, but the likely cost of a Kintore-Inverurie return ticket will mean only a small reduction at most.

“At peak times the Port Elphinstone and Thainstone roundabouts are very congested, and many Kintore residents avoid using the road at this time if possible.”

“This peak-hour congestion has been a feature of Kintore-Inverurie travel for many years now.”

“In the absence of a design which will reduce congestion on the Kintore to Inverurie route, and no clear guidance from Aberdeenshire Council on other measures to reduce congestion,” the community council’s submission continues, “it is vital that the ad hoc improvement identified by Transport Scotland for each development be carried out. These improvements that would help counter the effects of increased traffic due to particular developments.”

In response to the successful appeal against the refusal of the Thainstone Business Park extensor, these road improvement conditions were endorsed by the Scottish Government Reporter as necessary conditions of approval for development at Thainstone.